I have no grand ending this year, except maybe a sigh of relief that I’ve made it. In years past, I had an ending post in mind early on. A few years ago, I ended, reflecting on the impact this challenge has had on our school community and me. I’ve connected to how this challenge has helped me help other “find gold in every part of their story,” and I’ve always thanked the community of writers that shows up here every March for all they have shared and all the ways they have taught and inspired me.

Today, I keep thinking about Sally’s recent post about Tulips and the “Before That” structure she used, like many other slicers this month. Maybe it’s my own tulips, pushing further towards the sky, and the anticipation of the beauty that is about to burst. So I’m going to give it a quick go, but how I wish it was already drafted in my brain, with coordinating photos ready to import.

I completed my tenth year of the Slice of Life Story Challenge alongside friends, both in real life and virtual.

Before that, I invited our school community to write together in the month of March with the help of my friend Dawn. We have successfully grown closer as a community through our shared stories over the last four years.

Before that, my friend Erika invited me to join the challenge on February 28, 2017. I had no idea what I was signing up for or what I was taking on, as I was 6 months pregnant and had two daughters under the age of 4.

Before that, I was a teacher who loved literacy, collaborating with others, and was just beginning to understand the power that comes as a teacher who writes.

Before that, I was a little girl, who dreamed of being a teacher so I could make the world a better place.